The underground cathedral was dying.
Massive fractures tore across the black metallic walls while entire sections of Sector Seven collapsed into darkness beneath the chamber. Crimson synchronization cables snapped violently one after another, releasing unstable bursts of energy that illuminated the ruins like lightning trapped underground.
And above all of it—
The final alarm echoed endlessly through the facility.
LOW. HEAVY. FINAL.
Ayan could feel the structure itself failing beneath his feet now.
This wasn't damage anymore.
Sector Seven was reaching its end.
The Harvester scout slowly rose from the shattered ruins across the cathedral, black armor-like flesh shifting continuously while white eyes opened and closed across its damaged body in uneven patterns.
It was adapting again.
Even after Cael's attack.
The creature's voice echoed calmly through the collapsing chamber.
"…Bridge anomaly retrieval prioritized."
Aelira immediately stepped forward.
Crimson light exploded around her body as countless glowing symbols spread through the air once more, illuminating the broken cathedral beneath the falling debris.
"…Try it."
The Harvester scout paused briefly.
Analyzing.
Then—
Its body changed again.
Ayan's eyes narrowed sharply.
The creature was becoming smaller.
Denser.
More stable.
The black armor-like flesh compressed tightly around a humanoid frame while the dozens of white eyes gradually disappeared until only two remained.
Two glowing white eyes.
Human-shaped.
A cold feeling spread through Ayan's chest.
Because somehow—
That looked even more horrifying.
The scout slowly stepped forward through the collapsing cathedral.
"…Adaptive combat configuration complete."
Cael's expression darkened immediately.
"…It evolved again."
The synchronized individuals throughout the chamber visibly tensed.
The Harvester raised one arm slowly.
Then—
Reality distorted around it.
The air itself twisted unnaturally while black fractures spread outward through space surrounding the creature like cracks in glass.
Ayan's instincts screamed instantly.
Danger.
Not physical danger.
Something worse.
The Harvester moved.
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
The underground cathedral exploded apart as the creature crossed the chamber instantly, black distortion tearing through everything in its path while broken pillars, synchronization chambers, and even crimson energy itself split apart unnaturally.
Too fast.
Far beyond before.
Aelira met it head-on.
CRAAAAAAAASH.
Crimson light and black distortion collided violently in the center of the ruined cathedral, shockwaves tearing apart the underground structure while unstable synchronization systems exploded across the chamber one after another.
Ayan shielded his eyes instinctively.
When the light faded—
Aelira had stopped the attack.
Barely.
Black fractures spread across the crimson barrier surrounding her arm while blood slowly dripped from the corner of her mouth.
Ayan's chest tightened instantly.
This was the first time he had seen her injured.
The Harvester's white eyes observed the blood calmly.
"…Resistance effectiveness decreasing."
Aelira wiped the blood away slowly.
Then smiled slightly.
Cold.
Dangerous.
"…You talk too much."
The underground cathedral shook violently again.
CRAAAAAAAAAAACK.
A massive section of the floor collapsed nearby, dragging dozens of synchronization chambers into darkness below while crimson liquid flooded through the ruins like rivers of blood.
The synchronized woman rushed desperately toward Cael.
"…Primary Source!"
Her voice shook now.
"…The dimensional stabilizers are gone!"
Cael looked upward silently.
His crimson eyes reflected the collapsing structure around them.
"…Then Sector Seven ends here."
Silence spread instantly.
Even the synchronized individuals froze briefly.
Because those words meant something final.
Ayan looked toward Cael sharply.
"…What happens if the facility collapses completely?"
The first anomaly remained silent briefly.
Then—
"…The dimensional seal breaks."
Cold spread through Ayan's chest.
"…Meaning?"
Aelira answered quietly this time.
"…The Harvesters will locate Earth directly."
The ruined cathedral trembled harder.
Because now—
Everything truly balanced on moments.
The Harvester scout slowly turned its glowing eyes toward Cael.
"…You failed."
The words echoed softly through the ruins.
Not mockingly.
Simply observation.
Cael closed his eyes briefly.
"…Yes."
Ayan froze slightly.
The honesty of the answer hit harder than denial would have.
Cael slowly looked around the collapsing cathedral.
Toward the synchronization chambers.
Toward the broken network.
Toward the people still desperately trying to save a dying system.
"…I tried to preserve humanity through control."
His crimson eyes dimmed slightly.
"…And in doing so…"
A faint bitter smile crossed his face.
"…I stopped trusting humanity itself."
The Harvester responded instantly.
"…Individual choice creates extinction."
Cael answered quietly.
"…No."
His gaze shifted toward Ayan.
"…Fear creates extinction."
The crystal at Ayan's side pulsed warmly again.
Resonating.
Responding.
Cael slowly stepped toward him through the collapsing chamber.
"…That is why bridge anomalies matter."
Ayan's heartbeat slowed slightly.
"…Because we're between both sides."
Cael nodded faintly.
"…You understand now."
The Harvester immediately moved again.
This time—
Toward Ayan directly.
The creature's humanoid form blurred through black distortion as reality cracked apart around its movements.
But before it reached him—
Cael raised his hand.
The entire underground cathedral froze again.
Everything stopped.
Falling debris.
Collapsing walls.
Even the spreading black distortions around the Harvester froze motionless in the air.
The amount of power required made Ayan's chest tighten painfully.
Because Cael—
Was forcing the entire collapsing facility to obey him.
The first anomaly looked exhausted now.
Ancient.
His body flickered faintly between human form and crimson energy.
Aelira immediately realized it too.
"…Cael."
He smiled faintly toward her.
"…Looks like I finally ran out of time."
For the first time—
Fear spread across her expression.
Real fear.
"…Don't do this."
Cael looked toward her quietly.
"…You already know there's no other choice."
Ayan's thoughts sharpened instantly.
"…What are you talking about?"
The underground cathedral groaned violently around the frozen space.
Cael turned toward him slowly.
"…Sector Seven cannot survive."
"…But the dimensional seal can still be repaired temporarily."
Ayan's eyes widened slightly.
"…How?"
Silence.
Then—
"…By collapsing the Core manually."
The synchronized individuals throughout the chamber froze completely.
The synchronized woman immediately stepped forward.
"…Primary Source, that would destroy—"
Cael interrupted softly.
"…Everything connected to the network in this world."
Silence crushed the cathedral.
Ayan stared at him.
Because now—
He understood.
Cael intended to destroy the network completely.
The synchronized individuals looked horrified.
Not angry.
Terrified.
Because the network wasn't simply infrastructure anymore.
It was their existence.
The Harvester scout strained slightly against the frozen space surrounding it.
"…Inefficient."
Cael ignored it.
His crimson eyes remained fixed on Ayan now.
"…The Harvesters cannot be stopped through assimilation."
"…And humanity cannot survive through control."
The underground structure cracked harder around them.
Cael's body flickered unstable crimson light.
"…So humanity must choose its own future."
Ayan clenched his fists tightly.
"…And what happens to you?"
A faint silence followed.
Then Cael smiled slightly.
Sad.
Peaceful.
"…I became the Core long ago."
The answer hit like ice.
Because suddenly—
Ayan understood the truth.
Cael wasn't connected to the network anymore.
He was the network.
Destroying the Core meant—
Destroying him.
Aelira's voice trembled faintly.
"…Cael…"
He looked toward her one final time.
And for the first time since awakening—
He looked completely human again.
Not Primary Source.
Not the first anomaly.
Just someone tired.
"…Thank you for staying human, Aelira."
Her crimson eyes widened slightly.
Pain spread across her expression instantly.
The frozen cathedral began cracking apart around them now.
The Harvester scout slowly breaking free.
Time returning.
Cael looked back toward Ayan.
"…You are humanity's last chance to choose differently."
The crystal at Ayan's side pulsed violently.
Then—
Cael gave his final command.
"Run."